I have been Friends of the Singapore Zoo for many years, if you want it to continue giving us the fun and joy of animals, please visit the Singapore Zoo.
Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road (Bus 138 from Ang Mo Kio MRT or 171 from City). Opening hours are 8.30am-6.00pm daily and adult admission is S$28, children is $18. *Park Hooper packages are more worth it. Check them out first before you purchase those tickets. Zoo, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park or River Safari.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Dino fun across all 3 parks @ 1 great price with Park Hopper (23 May to 22 June 2008)Get hopping this school holidays and explore a trio of attractions at a bargain!

Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo are launching a 3-in-1 Park Hopper that will allow visitors to visit all three parks at a special price of $40 (adult) and $20 (child).

Together with this comes a chance for visitors to participate in a string of exciting and engaging activities that will take them back to prehistoric times! Children would also be able to pick up a kids adventure book at the parks’ entrances. This keepsake of a booklet will have them absorbed in simple games and puzzles while exploring each park.

Visitors can also take part in the Dino Trail contest, which will run across the three parks and involve participants answering questions relating to exhibits. Entry forms to this Dino contest will be incorporated into the kids adventure book. Winners stand a chance to Wildlife Unlimited Plus memberships valued at $430, which will allow free entry to all three attractions for a year!

A new thematic exhibit at Jurong BirdPark called ‘Dinosaur Descendants,’ will showcase the Park’s flightless birds collection and spectacular views of some of the dinosaurs’ closest relatives – the ostrich, emu, cassowary and rhea.

That’s not all, there will be performances and meet and greet sessions with some colourful characters at all three parks to brighten your day too!

Fun with the Flintstones Meet, greet and be entertained by the entire Flintstone family. Join Fred, Wilma Pebbles and Dino their pet dinosaur, for a rocking good time.Flintstones Performance (followed by Meet & Greet Session)Date: May 24 to June 22, 2008 (Saturdays and Sundays only) Time: 11.00am; 2.30pm; 4.00pm

“Close Encounters with Dinosaurs’ Living Relatives Tour” Come up close with some of the dinosaurs’ cousins and learn fascinating facts about these relic relatives.Date: May 25, June and June 22 (Sundays only) Time: 1.30pm Venue : Singapore Zoo (Sungei Buaya – Komodo Dragon) 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826

Dino-themed Art & Craft Sessions Try your hand at making a dino clock or hook rack. Guides will be onsite to teach you howDate: May 24 to June 22, 2008 (Saturdays and Sundays only) Time: 10am Venue : Restaurants in the Wild, Singapore Zoo

Park Hopper Ticket Adult S$40.00 Child (3-12 years old) S$20.00Ticket is for one visit per park (Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo) and valid for one month from date of purchase.

For more information, please call 62650022 for Jurong BirdPark and 62693411 for Night Safari and Singapore Zoo

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I refer to Friday's letter, 'Zoo, Night Safari, lower your charges', by Mr Kamar Lim regarding the main animal show and admission charges.

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari thank Mr Lim for his feedback.

The Wonders Of The Wild Show at the Singapore Zoo is temporarily closed for renovation. However, we have other shows available for guests. These include the Elephants At Work And Play and our latest Splash Safari, two favourites with visitors.

In addition, token feeding sessions with live commentary are held at various animal habitats throughout the day. Some of these sessions allow visitors to interact with the animals, such as the manatees and kangaroos.

The official opening time of the Night Safari is 7.30pm. Our restaurants and retail outlets are open from 6pm, 11/2 hours earlier, for guests to relax and chat with family and friends at the park's restaurants and bar.

The Creatures Of The Night Show has been a big draw with visitors, which may explain why the queue is long. This show is on at 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm daily, and on Saturdays and public holidays, we have added another time slot at 10.30pm.

As for the laksa served in Ulu Ulu, it is a large serving with fresh large prawns and other quality ingredients for those with a hefty appetite.

We regret that Mr Lim did not purchase the two-in-one Park Hopper package for two parks, valued at $30 without tram rides. The two-in-one Park Hopper package and tram rides to the two parks would have saved Mr Lim and his friends $9 per person.

To make trips to the parks more affordable, we have also recently introduced our three-in-one Park Hopper package for visitors, where they will enjoy savings of $16.50. The three-in-one Park Hopper, valued at $40, allows one-time admission for visitors to each park - Jurong BirdPark, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo, and is valid for one month from the date of purchase.

First, the zoo and Night Safari authority should have addressed the issue of high prices and long waiting times suffered by Mr Lim and his tourist friends and not skirt the issue by promoting activities and packages offered by Wildlife Reserves.

Second, such a self-promotional reply does not help improve the image of the zoo or Night Safari among Singaporeans and permanent residents.

As a Singaporean, I am proud of our wildlife reserves, and the constant rejuvenation of the zoo to draw tourist crowds is commendable.

However, the pricing of food and drinks in the zoo is exorbitant and Ulu Ulu is no cheaper. A one-day outing to the zoo and Night Safari on the Hopper package by a family of four could easily cost more than $100.

The school holidays began on Saturday. It may be cheaper to visit Sentosa instead as Palawan beach is fantastic and, most importantly, there is a foodcourt near the beach with affordable food and beverage.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The injury of an animal keeper at the Calgary Zoo on Sunday, gave known animal activists PETA, a chance to attack their elephant management techniques.

A letter addressed incorrectly to the zoo's former President and CEO says, the old free contact style relies on routine beatings, and they want to see the use of the protected contact method instead.

A PETA spokeswoman tells 660News that anytime zoos manage elephants without keeping a barrier between the animals and people, they have to use what they call "circus-style" management.

But Graham Newton, the Director of Corporate Services at the zoo tells 660News, PETA's accusations are unfounded.

He says their information is filled with inaccuracies and shoddy research, because they already do use protected contact method with one of their elephants, and for others the free contact method is what they're used to, and is a safe option.

PETA also goes on to say that the handler was "seriously injured" in the incident, but in fact, Newton says he recently spoke with the trainer who is sore, but anxious to get back to work.He adds the elephant is also fine, and is back on display at the zoo.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

The wireless learning trail at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is the first of its kind in the parks of Singapore, and possibly in the region. It is a public-private partnership initiative involving NParks, IDA, MOE and iCELL Network Pte Ltd.

It was inspired by the desire to enhance the learning experience and create new ways to deliver educational programmes that would:

Appeal to the young and technology-savvy Singaporeans,Bring learning beyond conventional classrooms and,Be less dependent on traditional manpower-intensive methods of nature education.Using webcams installed on the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), students are able to assess information on the wetland reserve by scanning the 2-D barcodes that are located strategically along the wireless learning trail. They will be directed to content that are location-specific. For example, students can listen to bird calls or observe behaviour of mudskippers through videos streamed over the wireless network. They are also prompted with stimulating questions on what they can see along the trail and even participate in various educational activities provided on their UMPC.

There are 20 barcodes or stations along the Mangrove Boardwalk. It takes about 2 hours to finish the entire learning trail. After completion, students can include their thoughts and observations to build their own personal learning trail, and share the information with their classmates. This promotes learning in the 'outdoor classroom'. It also means that students are less dependent on the availability of human guides for their learning experience.Booking Enquiries

Schools that are interested in the Wireless Learning Trail can contact iCELL Network Pte Ltd at Tel: 6309 4520 for general enquiries and bookings.

Rental of EquipmentA nominal fee of $3 is charged for the rental of each portable device, payable to iCELL, which is managing the learning trail. This is to cover administrative charges and maintenance of the wireless network. Schools are advised to take good care of all equipment that is on loan to them. iCELL may impose a charge of S$250 for the loss or deliberate mishandling of its equipment.(iCELL plans to further enrich the learning trail through periodic enhancements of the trail's content. It may review its fees when new content has been developed.)

Number of StudentsAs time is required to complete the activities at each station, students are advised to spread themselves out on the trail instead of concentrating at one location. This will also ensure that the UMPCs are operating at its most optimal level.

Getting the most out of the Wireless Learning Trail @ Sungei Buloh

Pre-tripThe pre-trip checklist contains instructions on activities that teachers can ask students to carry out before their field trip. It includes information on the reserve such as mangrove vegetation and its adaptation to harsh conditions. Teachers can also inculcate in students, important values and attitudes through understanding the importance of preserving our unique natural heritage.

On the TrailThree different field activities have been integrated into the learning trail, namely field-recording observation, annotation and sketching activities. Students will be able to go through these activities at different locations along the trail.

Post-Trip ActivitiesAfter completing the trail, students can share what they have experienced or learnt with their peers in school. Through these activities, a more holistic approach is adopted towards developing an appreciation of the natural environment among students.

Wireless Field InvestigationsSchools who want to embark on a more comprehensive scope of discovery of the wetland reserve can apply for a research permit from NParks. A fieldwork workhop to familiarise teachers with the field techniques and equipment is also available at the Training Administration System on the Intranet (TRAISI). Schools can contact the Ministry of Education's Humanities and Aesthetics Branch (Geography Unit) at tel 6879 6768 for more information.

Information for Teachers:For students who require more guidance, it will be advisable for teachers to go through the pre-trip activities with their students and break down the tasks among the groups. The tasks, which include planning for the budget and working out the programme schedules for the field trip, help to build valuable real-life skills, which will be useful even when students are working on other projects.

To keep students make the most out of their learning experience, teachers may want to go through how to use the recording templates before embarking on the trail.

Teachers can also consider stretching the number of learning activities over a few site visits to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, so that students can focus on one specific skill during each visit.Instructions on how to access the information via the 2-D barcodes on the trailPlease ensure that the webcam is plugged securely onto the UMPC.

Activate the barcode scanner programme on the UMPC. This will trigger a viewer of the webcam.

Along the trail, look for 2-D barcodes which are placed in strategic locations. To access the information embedded in the barcodes, adjust the distance of the webcam to allow the barcode to fit into the viewer onscreen.

The programme in the UMPC will automatically detect the 2-D barcode. An URL will appear along with a pop-up and you will hear an audio cue.

Select the URL listed in the pop-up and the information will be displayed in your UMPC.Repeat steps 3 - 5 when you see another 2-D barcode along the learning trail.

In very sunny weather, the detection of the barcodes could be hampered by reflection. It would be useful to shield the 2-D barcodes while using the viewer to scan the codes.

Please take good care of all equipment on loan, including the UMPCs and webcams. Parts of the equipment may be detachable or become loosened with use.

Friday, May 16, 2008

In 1986, a group of avid birdwatchers from the then Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch) stumbled upon this ecological jewel, and subsequently wrote a proposal to the government for its conservation. The 87 ha wetland site was consequently designated as a nature park in 1989. The then Parks & Recreation Department, a precursor to the National Parks Board, undertook the development of Sungei Buloh, in consultation with experts in the field, notably, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust from the United Kingdom and Worldwide Fund for Nature. On 6 Dec 1993, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong officially opened the Nature Park.

Over the years, the unique place that is Sungei Buloh charmed people from all strata of society to support its cause. It welcomed its 100,000th visitor in 1994. In 1997, the Park found its corporate sponsor in HSBC, which set up the Sungei Buloh Education Fund in support of its nature outreach programmes. In 1999, Woodlands Secondary School became the first school to adopt the park. It was followed by Commonwealth Secondary School in 2001 and Hillgrove Secondary in 2002.

On 10 November, 2001, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan announced that Sungei Buloh would be one of two parks to be gazetted as Nature Reserves. On 1 Jan 2002, 130-ha of Sungei Buloh was officially gazetted as a nature reserve and renamed as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve to better reflect its status.

In the same year, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was recognized as a site of international importance for migratory birds with Wetlands International presenting the reserve a certificate to mark its formal entry into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network, which include Australia's Kakadu National Park, China's Mai Po and Japan's Yatsu Tidal Flats.

We are going to the Zoo!Open to all alumni and their family members, the NTU Alumni Family Day 2008 will offer a variety of fun activities, including but certainly not limited to: a morning walk, exciting performances, carnival games stalls and a lucky draw! Experience the wonders of Mother Nature and make new friends – men and animals alike! Bring your family and fellow alumni. The more the merrier!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

VisionThe vision of the South East Asian Zoos Association is that its member zoos utilize their animal collections for the primary purposes of educating our public by imparting messages on the urgent need for environmental conservation in a manner that upholds the respect and dignity of the wild animal.

MissionTo educate guests on the preservation of the natural environment To share the goals of conservation, education, recreation and research with our publicTo commit to team work and share our expertise and experience with SEAZA members, other regional and national zoo associations Maintaining the highest standards of quality and professional ethics

ValuesConserve the environment and its wildlife SEAZA actively supports the ex-situ and in-situ conservation of populations of endangered species and their habitat, especially from the South East Asian region.

Educate the public We are committed to increasing public knowledge of and participation in the environmental conservation needs of South East Asia and the world and respect for the welfare of animals through awareness programmes in zoos.

Maintain high standards of quality and ethical conduct SEAZA expects its members to maintain high standards of quality in the presentation and maintenance of their zoos and conduct affairs according to the SEAZA Code of Ethics.

Co-operate with each other We value the co-operation and professional teamwork within zoos and aquariums as the basic building blocks of regional co-operation.